Chance Encounter
by ksfd89
Summary: Literati oneshot about a chance meeting between Rory and Jess after the Bracebridge Dinner!


Rory wakes with a crick in her neck. For a moment she blinks, disorientated and wondering why Lorelai is squashed up beside her, until Rory remembers. I was the Bracebridge dinner tonight and they're staying at the Independence Inn. Emily was sharing with them but she went for a walk before Rory and Lorelai fell asleep and, as her eyes adjust to the dark, Rory can see her bed is still vacated. She guesses her grandmother must have gone back to her original room. Slowly, Rory eases out of the bed. Her mother makes a protesting sound but quickly falls back to sleep as Rory gets up. As quietly as she can Rory uses the bathroom, holding her breath as she washes her hands, but her mother hasn't stirred as Rory slips back into the room. She was going to just get back into the other bed but Rory is suddenly so thirsty she can't stand it. There's a glass on the table she can use but as well as the crick in her neck, Rory is suddenly wide awake and knows she won't sleep. Carefully picking up the other pair of slippers Emily deemed too small, Rory pushes her feet into them, pulls on her robe and quietly walks to the door. A glance behind her shows Lorelai still asleep. As Rory puts her hand on the door to open it she hears Lorelai mumble,

"Stupid stepmother."

"Sherry's not my stepmother. Go back to sleep, Mom."

"Mm," Lorelai agrees. Rory waits for her to roll back over before slowly turning the door handle and letting herself into the hall.

"Fancy meeting you here."

"What are you doing up?" Rory exclaims. Jess smiles, raising his eyebrows and says, "Could ask you the same thing."

"I got thirsty...I wanted a drink."

"Something like that for me too," Jess says. "Nice pjs, by the way."

"Thanks," Rory says, feeling herself blush as she tightens her robe. "Nice shirt."

"Oh, thanks," Jess says, glancing down. He's clad in sweatpants, shoes, an old Metallica shirt and, inexplicably, his jacket is bunched up under his arm. "I think it sets off my eyes, don't you?"

"Oh, sure. What's with the coat?"

"What?" Jess asks innocently as Rory points at it. "Oh, nothing...just in case I wanted a walk."

"Of course."

"So you're thirsty, huh?" Jess says, grinning. "Me too. I don't know about you but I could use a snack."

"After that giant dinner?"

"Excuse me, I've seen you eat. Don't tell me you couldn't eat something. Plus, half the food at that meal was weird. What the hell was that green stuff on the soup?"

Jess has a point. Now that he mentions it Rory does feel a little hungry, and she's been told numerous times she can always help herself to anything in the Inn's kitchen. She hesitates, smiles and nods.

"Okay, deal."

"Lead the way."

Rory heads to the stairs, strangely shy as she starts descending them with Jess behind her. It's the dead of night but Rory can't help wondering what she'll say if a guest comes out of their room and asks what on earth she and Jess are doing. What if _Dean_ comes out? He won't believe this is unplanned.

"What?" Jess asks, catching her expression. Rory has switched on the light and is glancing around the kitchen, biting her lip.

"Nothing," Rory says briskly. "Sit down and place your order."

"Yes ma'am," Jess says with an obliging grin. "What do I have to do for room service?"

"Carry it upstairs."

Jess coughs, and nods as Rory suggests, "Sandwich?"

Rory pours a glass of water for her and Jess and, as she sips, notices he's still looking at her.

"What?"

"What what?"

"Nothing..."

Silently, Rory wonders if he's amused by her nightwear. At least she's not wearing the pyjamas with Mr Peanut on them. Opening the refrigerator Rory gets out bread and an assortment of cheese and meat for the sandwiches and two plates from the cupboard. As she passes it to Jess her thumb brushes his and a stream of warmth rushes through her.

"Thanks," Jess says and Rory nods.

"No problem."

Jess starts assembling his sandwich and Rory busies herself with cutting a tomato. It was just the surprise of contact that is making her feel weird, she tells herself uneasily. It's got nothing to do with Jess. But as Rory looks back up she sees Jess smile at her and the warm weakness goes right to her knees.

"Thank you," Jess says sincerely, indicating at his sandwich. "This is great."

"I just opened the fridge."

"Got me into the kitchen though," Jess argues. "I'll have to pay you back someday."

"How so?"

"I'll figure something out."

Feeling herself blush, Rory takes a large bite of her sandwich. For a while she and Jess eat in contented silence and, as Rory finishes her water, she feels herself relax. This is kind of fun, like before, when Jess jumped into the sleigh. Not that Rory's going to tell him that, when he could have hurt himself. Jess smiles at Rory again and without thinking she says, "I'm sorry you can't go home for the holidays."

The light mood has dropped as Jess mumbles, "No big deal."

"I'm sorry," Rory says, wondering how best to take her foot out of her mouth. "But you know, Stars Hollow can be great at this time of year."

The look Jess gives her shows Rory she's only succeeded in putting her foot further in.

"Gee, I'll bet. Let me guess, you all have a live enactment of a Charlie Brown Christmas and skip afterwards."

"No, but sometimes they show it at the bookstore," Rory says earnestly, making Jess laugh. "And sometimes Kirk does the Snoopy dance!"

"Now that I've got to see."

"We can arrange that!"

"We can, huh?" Jess says, leaning across the counter. "So what else does Stars Hollow offer this time of year?"

"Um, there's the Winter Carnival, and hot cider at Doose's and the snowman building contest though you already saw that," Rory says, starting to feel a little foolish. "Nothing that exciting, right?"

"Hey, I didn't say that. Will you show me Kirk's Snoopy dance?"

"I'll show you in that I'll take you, but I won't demonstrate," Rory says and Jess starts laughing. "Stop!"

"Sorry, it's just an interesting mental image."

"Nothing can compare to Kirk's."

"I'm sure," Jess says, wiping his eyes. "So Rory, what are your big Christmas plans?"

"A lot of nothing."

"Sounds good."

"Plus homework and a ton of work for the Chilton newsletter."

"Jeez, I thought you were on break."

"You don't get that much of one."

"That much is clear. Are you doing anything besides schoolwork?"

"Actually, my dad and his girlfriend invited me to come stay," Rory says, looking at her hands. "I've never visited them before."

"You haven't?"

"Nope - I've never met Sherry, his girlfriend. Mom's kind of wigging."

"Huh," Jess says. Rory looks up but he isn't mocking and his voice is serious as he asks, "Think you'll go?"

"I don't know...maybe. It feels a little weird. My dad didn't even come here until last year. I'd just see him at my grandparents' house or talk on the phone."

"Do you get along with him?"

"Of course," Rory says automatically but then she shrugs. "I guess I don't know him too well."

Jess nods and Rory feels a little weird, saying it out loud. She never talks about Christopher to anyone besides Lorelai and here she is bringing it up with Jess. "So what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Do you talk to your dad much?"

"I don't have a dad."

"What?" Rory asks dumbly and Jess says, "He took off right after I was born. Said he was buying diapers."

Jess's voice is matter-of-fact but Rory exclaims, "Jess, that's terrible!"

"It happens."

"I know it happens," Rory says, flustered, "but it shouldn't happen."

Jess shrugs. "It's what it is," he says, taking a final bite of his sandwich. "I didn't know the guy so I don't miss him."

Rory bites her lip and Jess laughs, getting off the stool. "Jeez, it's okay. Don't feel bad about asking."

Rory nods, taking her plate to the sink. She's curious to know more; what Jess's mom is like, if he's going to miss her over Christmas, if he minds not being asked to come home. He must mind - how could he not? But Rory knows she can't ask. Instead, she busies herself with washing the plate and then Jess is by her side and scrubbing his. His hands jostle against hers in the soapy water, sending that warmth through Rory again and quickly she steps aside and dries her hand. Once she's done she tosses the towel to Jess and, as he wipes his hands dry, he asks, "You hang out here often?"

"Kind of - I used to come here a lot after school, when I went to Stars Hollow High. And I lived here as a kid."

"You did?"

"Yeah, in the potting shed. It was like our own apartment, mine and Mom's. I loved it here."

"Do you miss it?"

"Sometimes," Rory admits. "I like having my own room though."

Jess smiles and Rory's eyes land on his coat on the chair.

"So where were you going?" she asks shrewdly. "You were heading out somewhere - you've got your shoes on too."

"Slippers looked a little flimsy."

"And what, you were planning on a hike? It's below thirty degrees outside!"

"I just...needed some air," Jess says vaguely and Rory rolls her eyes.

"You were going to smoke, right?"

Jess nods but he still looks a little sheepish. He picks up the coat and says, "Hey, you want to come out for a minute?"

"I'm not much of a smoker."

"No - I just meant, it looks pretty out there."

It sounds odd to hear Jess say pretty but Rory doesn't challenge him on it. She grabs one of the spare jackets hanging on the wall and says, "Maybe just for a minute."

Jess grins as Rory buttons the jacket and follows him outside. It's so cold that Rory's breath is instantly taken away but it's also stunningly beautiful. The world is shimmering in sparkling white and Rory's breath comes out in a frost as she says, "Wow."

"Not bad."

"Are you kidding? It's beautiful."

Rory steps out onto the snow, not caring that her slippers soak through, and stares up at the midnight sky. The stars are impossibly bright.

"It's pretty nice," Jess admits and, when Rory turns back to look him, he's smiling. "I'm glad we came out here."

"Yeah," Rory says shyly. "Me too."

For a moment they smile unsurely at each other. The banter from earlier in the sleigh has been replaced with something else, something Rory isn't sure what to do with, but before she can wonder what to say Jess asks, "Will you show me where you lived?"

"The potting shed? How come?"

"I just want to see it."

"You know, Rune lives there now - Jackson's cousin."

"I'd still like to see it," Jess says. "If that's okay."

"Sure," Rory says, a little puzzled. "It's down by the lake."

They pad silently through the snow and around the gleaming water to the small building where Rory stops, nodding at it.

"Here. I know it doesn't look like much but Mom put up rosebud wallpaper and curtains and on warm nights we'd feed the ducks and watch the fireworks and she'd say they were for me..." Rory's voice trails off and she says, "It was just really nice."

"I'm sure it was," Jess says, with no trace of sarcasm. Rory looks at him and Jess gives her a small smile.

"Looks way better than any of the apartments Liz and I shared."

"Grandma thought it was awful. She's never lived anywhere like this. I never felt like I missed out, living here...I was happy. I think Mom was too."

As Rory says it she realises she isn't sure. She stares at the shed for a moment and Jess asks, "Rory?"

"I'm fine," Rory says, shivering. "Just cold."

They head back up to the inn and Jess looks over at the snowmen.

"I still think your snowman - sorry, snowwoman - should win."

"Agreed, but that one on the end will win."

"But it's so overdone!"

"I know, but the judges won't see it that way," Rory sighs. "It was fun to build at least."

Jess nods, still looking and stops just outside the doorway to the inn.

"You're not coming inside?" Rory asks, surprised. "Jess, it's freezing!"

"I'll be there in a minute, unless you want to stay out a little longer."

"Oh, you want to smoke," Rory guesses and Jess nods. "I'm way too cold to stay out any longer! I guess I'll see you in the morning then.

"Goodnight, Rory. Thanks for showing me the shed. And thanks for the snack too."

"It was fun," Rory says, smiling. "Goodnight, Jess."

Rory tiptoes back up the stairs and into the bedroom. Despite the cold from outside she feels warmed through as she creeps back into her bed and is still smiling as she closes her eyes. The next thing she knows Lorelai is waking her up and asking where the jacket Rory left on the chair came from.

As the guests start to leave and Rory has just about convinced Lorelai of her need for fresh air (_at midnight?_) Jess catches her eye. He and Rory smile, Rory glancing down and back up to see him still looking. She's smiling shyly back until she notices Dean see them and quickly ducks her gaze, hoping he doesn't figure anything out. It's strange, Rory feels like she's been with Dean forever now, yet can't imagine sneaking out with him anywhere. Of course there was the time they stayed out all night after the dance but that was an accident. Rory can't picture Dean wanting to explore the inn in the middle of the night, let alone go outside. He'd just protest that it's freezing and, before last night, Rory didn't think she'd ever want to either. Yet she's still smiling when she's thinking of being out with Jess like that, while the rest of Stars Hollow slept. It's their adventure and theirs alone. Rory knows she'll never tell Lorelai. She jumps as her mother says in a tired voice, "Ugh, let's go home."

As they take the sleigh back (the only way to travel, Rory's decided) she stares at the fancy snowman, or rather, the remains of it. Someone has completed kicked it to pieces and a slow smile starts across Rory's face. She guesses Jess didn't stop to smoke after all. She turns around to look at it properly and is still laughing as they pull away from it.

"Seeing the competition destroyed has put you in that good a mood?" Lorelai teases. "You're all set for The Godfather."

"It's not that, it's just -"

"What?"

"Nothing," Rory says, smiling at her mother. "It's just a happy time of year!"


End file.
